Car heater



Jan. 5, 19?7o A, 5 KRQTZ 2,066,627

CAR HEATER Filed July l5, 1955 2 Shets-Sheet l alma/w 5. A@

Jan. 5, 1937. i A, s, KROTZ 2,066,627

Inventor @www Patented Jan. 5, 1937 UNITED STATT-.fg

CAR HEATER Alvaro S. Krotz, Bnckton, lll., ansignor to Young Radiator Company, Racine, Wis.

Application July 15, 1935, No. 31,403

. 6 Claims. (Cl. 23712.3)

My invention relates to steam car heaters wherein a boiler is placed in heat transfer contact with the exhaust of an internal combustion engine and the steam or vapor generated 5 is caused to pass through a radiator core having means to circulate the air to be heated, therethrough.

One of the objects f my invention is to provide means to automatically control the supply of liquid from the engine cooling system and to automatically release and condense any surplus steam that may be generated. in a manner which will protect the core against excessive pressure or temperature.

Another object of this invention is to use condensate only in the boiler to thereby prevent accumulation of scale in the tubes of the heater core and boiler.

To these and other useful ends this invention consists in matter hereinafter set forth and claimed and shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a. side elevation of the radiator unit of my car heater, afraction of the lower 25 header being removed to thereby clearly indicate the water circulating tube connections thereto.

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view of the preferred form of my complete car heating system as applied to a. conventional power plant.

3o Figure 3 is a fractional and partially sectioned view of the preferred form of my steam or evaporating boiler. Y

Figure 4 is a fractional rear view of the lower header showing the position of the tube connections as illustratedin Figure 6.

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view of the lower header taken on line 5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 illustrates a diagrammatic drawing of the modication. f

40 Figure 'l is a top view of the heater unit as illustrated in Figures 4, 5 and 6, showing the various pipe connections to the headers.

As thus illustrated the radiator core unit is designated in its entirety by reference character 45 A. The core of the unit A may be of any suitable design and is designated by numeral I8, the

upper header by numeral I I and the lower header by numeral I2. Thus it will be seen that hot water, steam or vapor may enter the upper header 50 pass downward through the tubes of core III and into header i2 in the form of cooled liquid or condensate.

Upper header II is at its rear face provided with a suitable pipe fitting I3 and the rear face 55 of header I2 is provided at its, bottom, with a pipe iitting I4. A pipe fitting I5 is provided at or near the top `of header I2. The purpose of these fittings will be understood by referring to Figure 2 wherein B designates, in its entirety, a conventional automobile engine having a cooling radiator C and the usual circulating pump I8. 'Ihe purpose of this pump is to force the cooling liquid through the engine jacket and radiator C.'

A rubber hose I1 acts as a connection from the bottom header of radiator C to pump I6. A suitable hose I8 forms a connection between the engine 'jacket and the top header of radiator C; thus the cooling liquid will be circulated in the usual and well known manner, when the engine is in operation. A pipe leads from fitting I5 to a fitting 26 whereby the engine cooling liquid may flow into header I2 or from this header back into the cooling system.

In Figure 3 I illustrate my preferred form of a vapor or steam generator which, in its entirety, is designated by reference character D. In this design, 21 designates the exhaust pipe leading downwardly and rearwardly from the engine manifold. Numeral 28 designates a tube coil which is of a size that may be readily inserted into pipe 21 after the exhaust pipe has been disconnected at iitting 29. At each end of coil 28 I provide a header 24 into which the ends of the coil are welded.

Suitable holes are drilled in pipe 21 and threaded sleeves 30 are adapted to extend through these holes as indicated. I provide nuts 3i with which the headers are made taut against the wall of pipe 21. It will be noted that coil 28 and headers 24 are shown in Figure 2 by dotted lines. Sleeves 38 are tapped or otherwise provided with connecting means for pipe connections or as illustrated for pipe fittings 32 and 33. A pipe 23 forms a connection between fittings 32 and tting I3, thus steam, vapor or heated liquid may pass from the outlet of coil 28 to the upper header. A pipe 34 forms a connection from tting I4 to tting 33; thus liquid may pass from the bottom of header I2 to the inlet of coil 28.

Thus clearly I provide a complete path for the passage of liquid and vapor or for liquid only; for example, when steam is generated in coil 28, it will be discharged into header ll, passing into the core where it will be condensed and lodge in header I2 and then ow into coil 28 through tube 3l.

Applicant does not desire to superheat the steam, therefore the coil and the connections are made large enough to normally supply more Water than can be evaporated; therefore, norbe more or less saturated.

The operation of the preferred form of my device will be as follows: Assuming that the engine is standing, water will flow into the unit A through tube and partially or entirely fill the unit; after the engine is started and immediately after steam begins to flow into unit A, pressure will result and all of the surplus water will flow back into the engine cooling system through tube 25; and later'if, under some conditions, surplus steam is generated, it also will pass yinto the engine cooling system and be condensed as it contacts the circulating water which is always below evaporating temperature.

Clearly water can never drain below fitting I5 into the cooling system and steam can never be superheated nor reach a dangerous pressure. The system, it will be seen, will be automatic in its action and the heating capacity will be largely dependent upon the size of units A and D because there will never be a very great change in temperature. It will be understood that other forms or types of boilers may be used and that other liquids or mixtures suitable for the cooling systern of the car will work equally well.

In the design shown in Figures 1 and 2, under rare operating conditions, an excess of steam might be generated for an extended period and its passage through tube 25 would prevent Water from flowing into header I2 from the cooling system; therefore the water level would, because of the escaping steam, be lowered somewhat. I preferably provide means whereby this condition could not exist, as illustrated in Figures 4, 5, 6 and 7. i

A fitting 40 is positioned adjacent and on the same transverse plane as fitting I5. A fitting 4I is secured to suction hose I1 and as near the pump I6 as is convenient. A pipe 42 forms a connection between fittings 4I and 40. 'Ihus because of a slight vacuum in hose I1, tube `42 will quickly drain all water in unit A down to the level of fitting 40, into hose Il and naturally any excess of steam will also readily flow into this hose and be condensed. Thus a small quantity of water or engine cooling liquid will continually flow through tube 25 into header I2. However it will not accumulate in header I2 because of tube 42.

A novel feature of this design is the baille or cap 45 which acts as a hood over the two pipe connections I5 and 40. This hood closely contacts the header wall as indicated forming a pocket 46. Cap 45 is provided with a shielded inlet 41 and an opening 48 at its bottom. Thus condensate falling from' the tubes of core Il) will not directly enter the pocket 45 but a water or condensate level will be maintained on` a plane with the opening in fitting 40. The opening 48 will assist in maintaining the same liquid level in header I2 and pocket d6.

'Ihe object of cap 45 is to prevent the liquid, flowing into the chamber 46 through pipe 25, from mixing with the liquid in the header I2 and then passing into the boiler; thus condensate only will pass into the boiler. Clearly the liquid discharged into pocket 46 will pass directly out of this pocket into tube 42. An object in placing fitting 4I close to the suction inlet of the pump is to insure free passage of excess water or vapor so as to avoid a pressure in unit A which would overcome gravity and reverse the flow vin tube 25.

Clearly applicants designs disclose a very simple, inexpensive and economical car heating system which will operate without valves or excessive pressure or heat.

Applicant's device may be4 used successfully with variously designed car heating radiators and with variously designed boilers. Therefore he does not wish to be limited to the exact design oi' these parts as shown. Clearly either pipe connection 25 or 42 may be dispensed with: in either event, excess liquid or pressure will be discharged and liquid will flow back into header I2 as herebefore described. Under some conditions the cooling liquid in the engine cooling system may not'be suitable for a steam heating device; in that event a separate supply of distilled water may be connected to fitting I5. 'I'he operation oi' the system will continue to be exactly as outlined with tube 42 disconnected.

Having thus shown and described my invention I claim:

1. A car heater of the class described, comprising a liquid cooled internal combustion engine, a car heater unit comprising a core having upper and lower headers, a heat transfer generator positioned in heat transfer contact'with the exhaust gases from said engine, said lower header near its top having a tube connection to the cooling liquid of said engine constructed and arranged so that flow therein may occur in a direction to or from said engine, a tube ccnnection from the bottom of said lower header to the inlet of said generator, a tube connection from the outlet end of said generator to said upper header. Y

2. A car heater of the class described, comprising an internal combustion engine, a car heater unit having upper and lower headers, a heat transfer generator positioned in heat exchange contact with the exhaust gases of said engine, a liquid supply means having a tube connection to the top of said lower header constructed and arranged so that flow therein may occur in a direction to or from said supply means, a tube connection from the outlet of said generator to said top header and a tube connection from the bottom of said lower header to the inlet of said generator.

3. A car heater of the class described, comprising a liquid cooled internal combustion engine having a liquid coolant circulating pump, a car heater unit comprising a core having upper and lower headers, a heat exchange generator in heat exchange contact with the exhaust gases of said engine, said lower header, near its tophaving a tube connection to the cooling liquid of said engine on the discharge side of said pump, a tube connection near the top of said lower header to the suction side of said pump, a tube connection from the outlet of said 'generator to said top header and a tube connection from the bottom of said lower header to the inlet of said generator.

. 4. A steam or vapor car heater of the class described, comprising an internal combustion engine having a pump circulated liquid cooling system, a car heater unit comprising a core having upper and lower headers, a vapor generator in heat exchange contact with the exhaust gases from said engine having an outlet connection to said upper header and an inlet connection from the bottom of said lower header. means whereby surplus liquid or vapor is caused to flow from said lower header near the top thereof to said cooling system and separate means whereby liquid may now from said cooling system into the top of said lower header.

5. A steam or vapor car heater of the class described, comprising an internal combustion engine having a pump circulated liquid cooling means, a car heater unit comprising a core having upper and lower headers, a vapor generator in heat exchange contact with the exhaust gases of said engine and having an outlet connection to said upper header and an inlet connection from the bottom of said lower header, means whereby surplus liquid or vapor in said lower header will flow into said cooling system and separate means whereby liquid is free to flow into said lower header from said cooling system. means in said lower header whereby the entering liquid from said cooling system will be caused to pass directly into said last outlet connection.

6. A car heater of the class described. comprising a liquid cooled internal combustion engine, a car heater having upper and lower headers, a heat transfer generator positioned in heat transfer contact with the exhaust gases from said engine, said lower header near its top having means for the supply thereto and the return therefrom of cooling liquid to and from said engine, a tube connection from the bottom of said lower header to the inlet of said generator, a tube connection from the outlet end of said generator to said upper header. 

